Shattered
by Celestial-Vapidity
Summary: Nyroc is indeed the perfect Pure One.


**Author's Note:** This idea has been rattling around in my head for a while. I won't spoil what it is. Anyway, the implied relationship is Coryn | Nyroc/Dustytuft | Phillip. They were in love, and nobody will convince me otherwise. Inspired by the song Shattered by Trading Yesterday. This is extremely angsty. Hope y'all enjoy! **WARNINGS:** mentioned character death, implied/referenced violence, gaslighting, animal death, implied abuse, emotional/mental breakdowns, and brainwashing.

* * *

 _ **And I've lost who I am, and I can't understand**_  
 _ **Why my heart is so broken, rejecting your love**_  
 _ **Without, love gone wrong, lifeless words carry on**_  
 _ **But I know, all I know, is that the end's beginning**_  
 _ **Who I am from the start, take me home to my heart**_  
 _ **Let me go and I will run, I will not be silent**_  
 _ **All this time spent in vain, wasted years, wasted gain**_  
 _ **All is lost, hope remains, and this war's not over**_

* * *

 _Nyroc is indeed the perfect Pure One_ , Nyra thought with a pleased smile on her beak. True, her son had been a bit rebellious at first, what with his questions, and thoughts of _love_. It was truly a mystery to her how, with his lineage and upbringing, he could have acted as he did when he tried to flee with that filthy sooty. _But it was of no consequence now_ , the moon-faced owl knew, as she watched her (now fully-grown) son rip apart a burrowing owl that had been their prisoner. She was so proud, and she knew that Kludd, wherever he now rested, was as well.

* * *

Uglamore knew what Her Pureness was up to. However, he feigned ignorance to things he did not like to think about. This followed easily. He knew what he was doing when he obeyed the orders given to him, upon Nyroc's return to the canyons. He felt horrible, staring at the poor owlet. The lad just wouldn't stop crying for someone called 'Phillip'. The old barn owl's gizzard squirmed as he watched his General preen her sobbing son. It would normally have been an affectionate gesture, but Uglamore couldn't help but notice the sinister gleam in the High Tytess's eyes. Uglamore had an idea of what had happened, after he had been told to leave Her Pureness alone with the young prince, and the sooty owl, Dustytuft. Still, he did as he was told, just as he always had.

* * *

Nyroc picked at his vole. He was tired. He felt tired nearly all the time, lately. However, he never let it show. His mum would not tolerate it, and he knew that. He never felt much of anything now, except a vague sense of fatigue that didn't get any less, no matter how much he slept. His mum assured him that this was merely a sign that he was acting as a perfect Pure One. He believed her. Mostly.

Something odd kept tickling his gizzard, which was always silent. It had been silent since his Special Ceremony. He couldn't understand why he had been so upset. His mum had been right. He had felt better with time. At first, he had cried almost constantly, refused food, and generally been a very difficult Pure One. He kept catching glimpses of _something_ that looked vaguely like a sooty owl, and occasionally hearing whispers of ' _Fly, Nyroc, fly!'_. Of course, it could have just been the wind whistling though the canyons, that happened to sound like the whistling of a sooty owl in distress.

But after a few nights, his mum had made a special nest for him, with lots of moss and down, and he had slept. He had felt noticeably better the next night. Not perfect, but better. Now he _was_ perfect. He felt perfect and he was the perfect Pure One. Now he never saw or heard anything that wasn't there.

As he finished his vole, and yarped his morning pellet, he decided that it was time to retire to his nest. He reflected again on how his mum had been so kind as to make it for him and keep it tidy. He especially liked the look of the tiny shards of metal, tucked into the moss.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Yep. Nyroc was shattered by Nyra, and Uglamore knew about it and possibly assisted in it. Yes Phillip's scroom is real. What happens after this is up to y'all.


End file.
